The Second World War left a very deep mark on all of Europe, and today it is still possible to observe throughout the entire continent, different statues and monuments that commemorate this terrible warlike conflict. Hungary is no exception, and in Budapest we can find the Statue of Liberty, a commemoration at the end of the war in the country.
When the worst conflict that mankind ever experienced broke out, Hungary was still trying to recover from the aftermath of the First World War. The nation was now independent, and was looking for its own way away from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.
However, these attempts at prosperity were not very successful. The country was seriously affected by the Great Depression, and its government grew closer and closer to Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
Later, Hungary ended up being an ally of the Germans, and its army participated in different battles, becoming an active member of the conflict. Despite this, the defeat of Germany was inevitable, and at the end of the war Hungary tried to make peace with the Soviet Union, since it would be the Russians who would liberate the city of Budapest and other Hungarian regions from German occupation.
The fighting for the capital was fierce, but the Soviets managed to expel the Germans, earning the appreciation of the Hungarian people, who would erect the Statue of Liberty in their honor.
This statue is one of the tallest and most impressive in all of Budapest, it is made of bronze, its base measures 26 meters while the main sculpture has a height of 14 meters.
On its pedestal you can see the statue of a woman holding a palm leaf, below, on two smaller pedestals, we find two other sculptures. One represents a boy holding a torch, and the other is a man fighting a hydra.
The construction of the Statue of Liberty was planned in 1945, but for economic reasons and due to the destruction that Budapest had suffered, it was not completed until 1947.
Later, and as the Soviet repression grew on Hungary, the meaning of the statue changed, and it went from being a tribute to the Russians to being a memorable reminder for all Hungarian citizens who died defending or fighting for their country.
If you like history, you are passionate about the anecdotes of the Second World War and you want to know more about the contemporary past of Hungary, without a doubt you have to visit this mythical monument.
In addition, it is located on a hill, in a high part of the city, so if you go there, you can have a great view over the center of Budapest. Similarly, this is a major tourist attraction, but it’s totally free, so you can go whenever you want and stay there as long as you like.
Finally, getting to know the Statue of Liberty is a great opportunity to learn a little more about the Hungarian identity, which stands proudly on a very difficult past, but which they have managed to overcome.
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